It was a rare day for Americans in Europe as a pair of U.S. national teamers faced off in the UEFA Champions League. Sacha Kljestan set up Anderlecht’s tying goal in the 89th minute, but it will be Oguchi Onyewu’s Málaga that will move on to the knockout stage following Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at La Rosaleda.

Both players went the full 90 minutes as competition concluded in Group C. Kljestan’s 89th-minute assist was the highlight and came on a perfect pass from the right that split two Málaga defenders and traveled just beyond a third before hitting Dieumerci Mbokani in stride. The Congolese striker finished cleanly from 12 yards.

Mbokani beat Onyewu to set up Anderlecht’s opening goal, scored by Milan Jovanovic, which tied the game, 1-1, in the 50th.

Onyewu and Kljestan exchanged jerseys following the game.

Anderlecht, the reigning Belgian champion, finished group play 1-3-2 and has been eliminated from European competition. Onyewu and Málaga (3-0-3) edged fellow qualifier AC Milan for first place and will enter the Champions League’s round of 16 in February. The matchups will be finalized Dec. 20.

Onyewu was making his second Champions League start, and fifth overall, for Málaga and still is settling in at the club he joined over the summer. His experience at Lisbon’s Sporting CP ended in frustrating fashion in the spring, and even though he still hasn’t established himself as a regular starter he told the BBC recently that he’s happy with the move.

"I thought I'd be a fool not to move from Portugal to Spain, and go from the (second-tier) Europa League to the Champions League,” said Onyewu, who is at his eighth club since leaving Clemson University in 2002. "A lot of times in my career, I have been frustrated, annoyed and upset about how it was going but at the end it always worked out for me. That's how I am right now.

“As angry as I was to have to leave Portugal, I have found myself in an even better situation here in Spain. Life is a journey and, if you are brave enough to ride it, it is going to take you where you need to be."

He’ll now ride into the rarefied air of the Champions League’s knockout stage, where the continent’s top 16 teams will vie for club soccer’s most prestigious title.

Onyewu will be joined there next year by U.S. teammate Jermaine Jones and Schalke 04, which finished atop Group B at 3-0-3 after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw at French titlist Montpellier. Jones, typically a starter, filled a reserve role for the German club at the Stade de la Mosson and played the final 18 minutes.

Paris Saint-Germain, FC Porto, Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Bayern Munich, Valencia, Barcelona and Manchester United also are headed to the round of 16, with three final spots up for grabs as the remaining four groups finish up on Wednesday.

Among those set to take the field on the stage’s final day will be Michael Parkhurst. The U.S. defender and his Danish club, FC Nordsjælland, will visit Chelsea on Wednesday in a critical game that could spell the end of the Londoners’ Champions League title defense. FCN (0-4-1) already has been eliminated from contention. Chelsea (2-2-1) must win and hope group leader Shakhtar (3-1-1) defeats Italian titlist Juventus (2-0-3) in Ukraine.